Solution applicator for projecting material onto strands



April 27, 1954 H. J. MCDERMQTT SOLUTION APPLICATOR FOR PROJECTING MATERIAL ONTQ STRANDS Filed June 4, 1951 IN V EN TOR.

HENRY d. MCDERMOTT Patented Apr. 27, 1954 SDLUTION APPLICATOR FOR PROJECTING MATERIAL'ONTO STRANDS Henry J. McDermo'tt, Collingdale, Pa.,:assig-nor to American Viscose Corporation,Wilmington,

Del., a corporation o'f Delaware- Application" June 4, 1951:, SerialNo."2'29,822

The present invention relates to apparatus for removing liquid from a bath thereof and impelling it in dropletform against a surface supported above the bath. The invention is particularly applicable to the liquid treatment of .yarnsand is specifically described with respect to the application of liquids to running helical coils of strands on the peripheral surfaces of circularly shaped-rotary members.

It'is an objectof the present invention to apply the liquid of a'bath in the form of a fine spray to a:yarn-receiving;surfacezsupported over the bath by means of a'simpleapparatus which obviates the needxfor -apumping system of the normal type comprising a :pump, ducts, and a spray nozzle. It is. another object to apply liquids to theexterior surfaces of rolls, godets, threadadvancing reels, and the like without disturbing the position -of the convolutions of the strand Wound. thereabout atlow tension. Still another objectis to provide an apparatus for accurately directing liquid so that it moves in the same vdirection and at approximately the same speed as the peripheral surface of the reel, godet or other object to which the liquid is applied. other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the invention and the drawing relating thereto in which Fig. .1 is an elevation in section of an embodiment of the invention;

Fig, 2 is a fragmentary section view taken along line 11-11 of Fig. 1;

.Figs. 3.and 4 are detail views;

-F-ig.5 isa. fragmentary elevation in section of another embodiment; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section view taken along line VIVI of Fig. 5.

To transfer liquidfrom a-bath thereof to a surface in movement above the bath in accordance with the invention, apparatus is provided comprising a rotor having an apertured but otherwise smooth peripheral surface which revolvesgpartly immersed in the bath and a spraycontrol, wiper, or deflector element in substantially tangential relationship with the eripheral surfaceof the rotor.

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate an embodiment of the invention wherein liquid in the form of a spray is transferred from a bath! of the liquid to the peripheral surface of a thread-advancing reel 1. The bath is supported within a container 6. The reelshown comprises two sets of interdigitating bars-land 4, each set revolving about an axis that is eccentric to that of Y the other. However,

8 Claims. (Claim-325) 2 the reell shown is-merely exemplary of the rolls, godets, and other types of rotary members" that maybe-used to support windingsof thread. The general direction of the axis of the reel is,-as shown, approximately horizontal and parallel to the surfaceof the-bath. A feed-pipe e serves to supply l-iquidto the container B, and an overflow pipe 1 ll servesto-maintain aconstantlevel there'- To transfer liquid from the bath 6to the *reel 'l in the 'form of a controlled spray of fine droplets, theperipheral surface I 4- of arotor l-2' is rotated while partly immersed within-the bath Fr with a spray-control'i-nember'in the form-ofa'wiper or deflector member or blade-"l5 having a substantially flat portion of its surface resting or leaning by gravity against the-movingsurface'of the rotor. The surface M is formed by an annular wall E6 of the rotor which is supported concentrically and -in'iixed relationshi with a drive tube or shaft iaby one or-more spidersections L9. The wall- 16 has substantialthickness, such as t; to of an inch, so that apertures I l'l'prov-id'ed therethrough hold liquid in sufficient'quantity to produce "adequate pick-up-of the liquid and to cause the rotor to impelastream of drop lets o'f sufiicient apparent density.

in the embodiment of the invention as illus-- 'tratedin 'Fi'gs. 1 and 2, the blade -l 5 is secured to, and supported on, a'shaft '21. The shaft 2| is rotatable toallow-the blade-torestby gravitation on the surface of the rotor. The shafts l8 and 2| are suitably mounted in bearings, such as bearings 24and'23-respectively in the end walls of the container fi, and shaft lfi'rnay'be provided at .one end with driving means, such as a sprocket gearf or pulley shown at '8.

Theholes 11 maybe of any contour but are preferably'circular-and may be of any diameter selected to produce any desired droplet size. The number of holes per unit area may be varied to provide any-desired stream density. Holes having diameters in-the range of t; to A; of an inch-are quite satisfactory. The spacing of the holes may be -as close togetheras the material constitutingthe rotor willpermit. Instead of providing holes which extendclear through the thickness of wall lfi, theapertures may merely be recesses, notches or the like, such as'cylindrical or hemispherical recesses, preferably of substantial depth.

-Wiper blade i5acontrols the streamdischarged from the' rotor. In onepreferred form of'the invention, the -'.blade 1.is;.made up of la predetermined weight whereby it restsavith .a.ldefinitepressure on the surface of the rotor. However. where greater flexibility is desired in the adjustment of the blade pressure and in the spray capacity of the system as a whole, control of the blade pressure may be obtained by the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 3, wherein an arm 25 is mounted on the left end of the shaft 2| as viewed in Fig. 2. A set screw 26 in threaded relationship with a stationary mounting 21 engages the end-portion 28 of the arm 25. The screw 26 may be adjusted to increase or decrease the pressure of the blade l on the rotor l2. Another system for controlling the blade pressure is illustrated in Fig. 4 wherein the shaft 2| is subjected to tension provided by a weight 30 which is supported by, and adjustable along, a lever arm 34 mounted on the left end of the shaft 2| as viewed in Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate an embodiment of the invention wherein a cylindrical rotor 33 is rotatably mounted in the container 6 below the reel 1 and comprises a plurality of discs, wheels, or annular plates having peripheries of uniform diameter secured together. Each wheel comprises a rim section 34 having axially extending ridges or teeth 35, and a center section, such as the spider section 36, for mounting it on the common drive shaft 3! whereby the rim section is supported concentrically with respect to the shaft 31. The teeth 35 are of such size and spacing as to provide apertures 39 of any desired size when a plurality of the plate members are secured together as a single rotor 33, such as by means of the bolts 40. The members are prevented from turning relative to the shaft 3'! by means such as a key 4|.

The shaft 31 extends approximately parallel with the surface of the bath 5 and is spaced therefrom to obtain the desired immersion of the rotors 33 in the bath. The extent of immersion is not critical although it should be sufficient to provide adequate liquid pick-up. Preferably, a minor portion only of the periphery is immersed because extensive immersion results in unnecessarily excessive power consumption, considerable agitation of the bath and no substantial advantage in the application of liquid to the peripheral surface of the thread-advancing reel 1, or other surface in continuous movement above the bath. For example, in using a rotor 33 having a diameter of 6 inches, and rotated at above 400 R. P. M., an immersion depth of A; to 1 inches, and preferably, around 1 inch,

produces a stream having satisfactory volume,

direction and droplet formation. As indicated hereinbefore, the peripheral speed of the rotor may be adjusted to obtain a stream moving at approximately the speed of the surface receiving the stream. The direction of the stream may be adjusted so that the stream engages the receiving surface nearly tangentially or at a small angle, so as to cause as little disturbance or lateral displacement as possible of the strand convolutions supported on the receiving surface.

A spray-control member 43, leans against the rotor 33 and has a fiat surface for engaging the rotor. The member 43, in a preferred form, comprises merely a rectangular plate 43a which rests adjacent its edge 45 against the rotor 33. Its lower edge 41 rests on an upwardly-facing surface 48 provided by a support 49 secured within the container 6. A weight 5| is mounted on the plate 43a to obtain a predetermined pressure of the plate against the rotor; the weight may be constructed of any mass necessary to obtain any desired pressure.

The apparatus for applying liquid of the present invention is, when compared with the liquid applying systems generally used comprising equipment such as a pump, a distributor or manifold, and one or more connecting ducts, extremely simple in construction, economical to fabricate, and easy to service. It also requires substantially less power to operate in applying a given quantity of liquid. Moreover, the direction in which liquid is discharged from the rotor may be accurately controlled to obtain efiicient use of the treating liquid, 1. e., the liquid may be applied, e. g. to a thread-advancing device, with a minimum of loss by splattering and without appreciable lateral displacement of strand windings.

I claim:

1. In combination with a container for liquid, means for maintaining the liquid at a substantially constant level in the container, and a moving surface for conveying a running strand thereon supported above said level, a device for applying liquid to the surface comprising a rotor having a peripheral surface concentric with its axis of rotation, means for supporting the rotor with its axis extending substantially horizontally and with a portion of the peripheral surface extending below said level and another portion thereof above said level, said peripheral surface extending in an axial direction substantially coextensively with a portion of said conveying surface which receives liquid discharged from said rotor and having a plurality of recesses distributed generally with respect to its area, means for rotating the rotor on its axis and a control memher having an approximately flat surface extending in approximately tangential relationship with a substantially continuous axially-extending portion of the peripheral surface of the rotor at a level above said liquid level, and means acting on the control member for urging said surface thereof toward the rotor.

2. In combination with a container for liquid, means for maintaining the liquid at a substantially constant level in the container, and a rotary member having a radially outwardlyfacing strand-carrying surface supported above said level for continuously transferring a running strand relative to the surface of the liquid, a device for applying liquid to the surface comprising a rotor having a generally cylindrical peripheral surface concentric with its axis of rotation, means for supporting the rotor with its axis generally parallel to said level and with only a minor portion of its peripheral surface extending below said level, said peripheral surface extending in an axial direction substantially coextensively with a portion of said strandcarrying surface which receives liquid discharged from said member and having a plurality of apertures distributed generally thereover, means for rotating the rotor on its axis, and a control member having a fiat portion of its surface in resilient engagement and in substantially tangential relationship with a lengthwise portion of the peripheral surface of the rotor at a position spaced above the liquid whereat the peripheral surface is moving away from said level.

3. In combination with a container for liquid, means for maintaining the liquid at a substan tially constant level in the container, and a rotary member having a strand-carrying surface supported above said level for continuously transferring a running strand relative to the surface of the liquid. 8. device for applying liquid to the surface comprising a rotor having a generally cylindrical peripheral wall concentric with its axis of rotation, said wall having a plurality of apertures extending therethrough and being generally distributed with respect to its outer surface, the peripheral surface of the wall extending in an axial direction substantially coextensively with a portion of said conveying surface which receives liquid, means for supporting the rotor with its axis horizontal and with only a minor portion of said peripheral surface extending below said level, a pivotally mounted member having a flat surface spaced from the pivotal axis, said pivotable member being disposed for bringing the flat surface into substantially tangential engagement with a portion of the peripheral surface of the rotor extending lengthwise of said wall at a position spaced above the liquid level whereat the peripheral surface is moving away from said level, and means acting on the pivotable member for urging the flat surface against the rotary member.

4. In combination with a container for liquid, means for maintaining the liquid at a substantially constant level in the container, and a rotary member mounted on the horizontal axis and having a strand carrying surface supported above said level for continuously transferring a running strand relative to the surface of the liquid, 2. device for applying a spray of liquid to the surface comprising a hollow cylindrical drum having a plurality of apertures extending through the peripheral wall thereof, means for rotating the drum on its axis comprising a horizontal shaft supported above said level, a rod supported in the container adjacent the drum and above said level, a deflector plate secured to the rod and extending therefrom into tangential relationship with the periphery of the drum, and means for rotating the drum in a direction such that a given portion of its periphery passes out of the liquid bath and then under the deflector plate before approaching the surface of the rotary member.

5. In combination with a container for liquid, means for maintaining the liquid at a substantially constant level in the container, and a rotary member having a strand carrying surface supported on the horizontal axis above said level for continuously transferring a running strand relative to the surface of the liquid, a device for applying liquid to the surface comprising a composite rotor mounted for rotation on a horizontal axis by means of a horizontal shaft, said composite rotor comprising a plurality of discs, each having radially extending ridges or teeth on one side thereof adjacent its periphery, means for securing said discs together, said shaft being mounted above the surface of the bath, transfer supporting means in the container extending in generally parallel relationship to the shaft and disposed outside the periphery of the composite rotor, a deflector plate resting on said supporting means and extending upwardly therefrom into tangential engagement with the periphery of the rotor at a position generally intermediate the bath and the rotary member, and means for rotating the rotor in a direction such that a portion of its periphery upon leaving the bath passes under the deflector plate and then approaches the peripheral surface of the rotary member.

6. In combination as defined in claim 4, the provision of gravity means for controlling the pressure with which the deflector plate bears against the periphery of the drum or rotor respectively.

7. In a combination as defined in claim 4, a rod extending horizontally above the surface of the bath and outside the periphery of the drum or rotor respectively and lever means connected with said rod and said deflector plate for controlling the pressure exerted by the deflector plate upon the peripheral surface of the drum or rotor respectively.

8. A combination as defined in claim 5, in which the deflector plate rests loosely under its own weight upon the supporting means and is inclined upwardly from such position of support to the position of engagement with the periphery of the composite rotor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 517,055 Moorhouse Mar. 27, 1894 1,736,799 Planert NOV. 1929 1,747,168 Holmstrom Feb. 18, 1930 1,803,792 Christensen May 5, 1931 2,261,988 Gaebel Nov. 11, 1941 2,403,018 Oglesby July 2, 1946 2,592,632 Williamson Apr. 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 455,913 France Aug. 1 1 

